General Counsel

Overview:
Responsibilities:

Corporate and Commercial:

• Corporate management (minutes of the board of directors, shareholders’ meeting, changes of signatories) of the Swiss subsidiaries of Holcim Trading and supervision of corporate matters regarding overseas subsidiaries of Holcim Trading with external service providers
• Liaise with and provide auditors with the legal information required for the internal or statutory audits
• Manage and update the entries in the Legal Case Management Tool and the Legal Entity Management Tool
• Advise on, draft and negotiate all sorts of commercial and shipping agreements such as sale and purchase agreements, supply and consignment agreements, logistics agreements, warehousing agreements, trucking agreements, stevedoring agreements, charter parties, contract of affreightment, brokerage agreements
• Advise on, draft and negotiate finance agreements such as credit facilities, ISDA agreements, loan agreements, deposit agreements and review banking agreements provided by banks as well as guarantees
• Support other Holcim Trading functions (HR, IT, Digital, Sustainability) on relevant legal topics
• Constantly improve and update the standard, template purchase and sales agreements and general terms and conditions as well as their implementation in the Holcim Trading customer relationship management system
• Develop, together with the Holcim Shipping team, templates and standards for charter parties and contract of affreightment
• Drive the further simplification of the Holcim Trading legal structure

• Handling of maritime claims by/against vessel owners and against cargo suppliers or receivers
• Coordination with P&I Club regarding claims handling (FD&D policy)
• Handling of commercial claims by/against suppliers and customers
• Management litigation and arbitration cases with external lawyers

• Drafting and negotiation of all required agreements (Confidentiality Agreement, Letter of Intent, Share Purchase Agreements, Shareholders Agreements, Engagement Letters, etc.), support in preparation of data rooms, organizing signing and closing of transactions

• Independently manage and take responsibility for all compliance and sanctions risks at Holcim Trading
• Implement and continuously improve the Holcim compliance program, processes and policies at Holcim Trading, in particular in relation to sanctions compliance, ABC compliance, fair competition compliance and data privacy
• Provide trainings and ensure compliance with the Holcim Group Code of Business Conduct and Holcim compliance policies, in particular in relation to sanctions, ABC, fair competition and data privacy
• Contribute as a member to the Holcim Group Sanctions Board

Education/Qualifications:

• Law degree from a reputable law school / university and admitted to a bar of relevance in Switzerland, the UK or the EU
• Supplemented by a post-graduate degree from a reputable law school / university (in continental European law if main degree is in common law and vice versa)
• Ideally supplemented by formal training or degree in business management and finance
• Excellent academic credentials

Experience:

• A minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience in an international law firm, multinational corporate environment, P&I club or trading house
• Majority of experience in areas of immediate relevance to the role, including the handling of commercial contracts and maritime/shipping contracts (including multi-modal transportation) as well as litigations and arbitrations.
• Proven track record of working successfully in or with a wide range of jurisdictions of relevance to the Holcim Group and broad working knowledge of various relevant legal systems and challenges.
• Proven track record of working successfully in an international and decentralized environment and in cross functional and cross-cultural team

Knowledge & Skills:

• Behavioral competencies:

• Lead, manage and develop the legal and risk support specialist reporting to this function.
• General agility and sound judgment
• Highest levels of ethics and integrity
• Highly developed legal and commercial acumen with a pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach
• Proven ability to operate effectively (incl. influence and when needed diplomatically but firmly challenge stakeholders at all levels)
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills to ensure the right organizational outcomes and impact
• Strategic and wide-ranging thinker who is comfortable taking commercial and other positions to advance the interests of the organization as a whole but always in an ethical and legal manner which is consistent with group policy and directives
• Forward looking, self-motivated and outcomes-orientated, with experience in managing in dynamic, complex, challenging and or ambiguous environments

Language Requirements: Bilingual English and German, mastery of at least 1 additional internationally representative language. Spanish or French is an advantage Local / International: Local Employment Travel Requirements: 10%